|Voter registration=Voters had to register to [[Voting in the 2012 primary elections|vote in the primary]] by May 21. For the [[Voting in the 2012 general elections|general election]], the voter registration deadline was October 22.<ref>[http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_faq.htm#vr ''California Secretary of State'' "Elections FAQ," Accessed July 20, 2012]</ref>

|Voter registration=Voters had to register to [[Voting in the 2012 primary elections|vote in the primary]] by May 21. For the [[Voting in the 2012 general elections|general election]], the voter registration deadline was October 22.<ref>[http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_faq.htm#vr ''California Secretary of State'' "Elections FAQ," Accessed July 20, 2012]</ref>

|State=California

|State=California

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|Incumbent=Heading into the election the incumbent is [[Loretta Sanchez]] (D), who was first elected in 1996. However, due to heavy redistricting, the current incumbent of the district will most likely no longer remain in the district.}}

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|Incumbent=Heading into the election the incumbent was [[Loretta Sanchez]] (D), who was first elected in 1996. }}

According to a Cook Political Report analysis, the 47th district is one of 13 congressional districts in California that may be competitive in 2012. The analysis rated it as Likely Democratic.<ref>[http://cookpolitical.com/charts/house/competitive_2012-02-17_07-56-55.php The Cook Political Report 2012 Competitive House Race Chart]</ref>

According to a Cook Political Report analysis, the 47th district is one of 13 congressional districts in California that may be competitive in 2012. The analysis rated it as Likely Democratic.<ref>[http://cookpolitical.com/charts/house/competitive_2012-02-17_07-56-55.php The Cook Political Report 2012 Competitive House Race Chart]</ref>

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This will be the first election using [[Congressional redistricting maps implemented after the 2010 Census|new district maps based on 2010 Census data]]. [[California's 47th congressional district]] is located in the southern portion of the [[California|state]] and includes part of Orange County.<ref>[http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/File:CA_8,15,11_redistricting_map.png ''California Redistricting Map'' "Map" Accessed September 25, 2012]</ref>

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This was the first election which used [[Congressional redistricting maps implemented after the 2010 Census|new district maps based on 2010 Census data]]. [[California's 47th congressional district]] is located in the southern portion of the [[California|state]] and includes part of Orange County.<ref>[http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/File:CA_8,15,11_redistricting_map.png ''California Redistricting Map'' "Map" Accessed September 25, 2012]</ref>

==Blanket primary==

==Blanket primary==

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The proposition's intent was to encourage primary competition, which backers of the act said would lead to more moderate legislators being elected. Despite this intention, only a few centrists successfully advanced to the general election. The primary results did reflect an increase in competition, with California's percentage of contested primaries being much higher than the nationwide average.<ref name=times>[http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-legislature-20120607,0,7634350.story ''Los Angeles Times,'' "Few centrists advance in California's new primary system," June 7, 2012]</ref>

The proposition's intent was to encourage primary competition, which backers of the act said would lead to more moderate legislators being elected. Despite this intention, only a few centrists successfully advanced to the general election. The primary results did reflect an increase in competition, with California's percentage of contested primaries being much higher than the nationwide average.<ref name=times>[http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-legislature-20120607,0,7634350.story ''Los Angeles Times,'' "Few centrists advance in California's new primary system," June 7, 2012]</ref>

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However, the increase in competition has also led to an increase in campaign spending, due to the fact that competition within political parties will last for the entire year rather than ending after the primary. Experts predict that this will only increase the power of the special interest groups that fund the campaigns.<ref name=times/>

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However, the increase in competition also led to an increase in campaign spending, due to the fact that competition within political parties lasted for the entire year rather than ending after the primary. Experts predict that this will only increase the power of the special interest groups that fund the campaigns.<ref name=times/>

Raphael J. Sonenshein, executive director of the Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Institute of Public Affairs at Cal State L.A., said the following, "It's hard to argue it's a better system where the incumbent congressman has a huge war chest and nobody else has any money... At least now we can make him spend it."<ref name=times/>

Raphael J. Sonenshein, executive director of the Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Institute of Public Affairs at Cal State L.A., said the following, "It's hard to argue it's a better system where the incumbent congressman has a huge war chest and nobody else has any money... At least now we can make him spend it."<ref name=times/>

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As a result of the blanket primary, nine of California's 53 congressional districts will have same-party candidates battling in the November 6 general election. Of those, seven are between Democrats.<ref name=reuters>[http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/07/us-usa-campaign-primaries-idUSBRE85602U20120607 ''Reuters,'' "Democrats face Democrats in new California election system," June 6, 2012]</ref>

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As a result of the blanket primary, nine of California's 53 congressional districts had same-party candidates battling in the November 6 general election. Of those, seven were between Democrats.<ref name=reuters>[http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/07/us-usa-campaign-primaries-idUSBRE85602U20120607 ''Reuters,'' "Democrats face Democrats in new California election system," June 6, 2012]</ref>

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There will also be over a dozen same-party races in the [[California State Legislature|state legislature]] in November.<ref name=reuters/>

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There were also over a dozen same-party races in the [[California State Legislature|state legislature]] in November.<ref name=reuters/>

Blanket primary

This was the first election year in which California's Top Two Candidates Open Primary Act was in effect. Because of this, all candidates for a seat competed in one blanket primary. The two candidates who received the most votes then advanced to the general election on November 6.

The proposition's intent was to encourage primary competition, which backers of the act said would lead to more moderate legislators being elected. Despite this intention, only a few centrists successfully advanced to the general election. The primary results did reflect an increase in competition, with California's percentage of contested primaries being much higher than the nationwide average.[5]

However, the increase in competition also led to an increase in campaign spending, due to the fact that competition within political parties lasted for the entire year rather than ending after the primary. Experts predict that this will only increase the power of the special interest groups that fund the campaigns.[5]

Raphael J. Sonenshein, executive director of the Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Institute of Public Affairs at Cal State L.A., said the following, "It's hard to argue it's a better system where the incumbent congressman has a huge war chest and nobody else has any money... At least now we can make him spend it."[5]

As a result of the blanket primary, nine of California's 53 congressional districts had same-party candidates battling in the November 6 general election. Of those, seven were between Democrats.[6]

Candidates

Note: Election results were added on election night as races were called. Vote totals were added after official election results had been certified. For more information about Ballotpedia's election coverage plan, click here. If you find any errors in this list, please email: Geoff Pallay.

Race background

California's 47th is considered to be Leaning Democratic according to the New York Times race ratings. Democrats currently have a 10% edge in registration, but Republicans think it is possible to gain the seat with Gary DeLong, who is portrayed as a moderate Republican. [10]

California's 47th District has been included in the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's "Red to Blue List," which identifies districts that the organization has specifically targeted to flip from Republican to Democratic control.[11]

"Party advantage" is the percentage gap between the two major parties in registered voters. "Change in advantage" is the spread in difference of party advantage between 2010 and 2012 based on the congressional district number only.

District partisanship

FairVote's Monopoly Politics 2012 study

In 2012, FairVote did a study on partisanship in the congressional districts, giving each a percentage ranking (D/R) based on the new 2012 maps and comparing that to the old 2010 maps. Partisanship figures from 2010 relating to the incumbent are unavailable for this district due to the seat being open.[16]

Chamber of commerce spending

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce will spend a total of $3.3 million on television advertisements aimed at electing ten California Republican congressional candidates, Democratic sources have told Hotline.[22]